Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem unleashed a profanity-laced critique at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, taking aim at world leaders including Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bardem said toxic masculinity, a central theme in his new film 'The Beloved,' stems from 'the bad education that we have received for many ages,' adding that he, too, is a product of that culture.
'I'm 57 years old, coming from a very machista country called Spain,' he said.
The Oscar-winning actor pointed to violence against women in his home country as a stark example of how toxic masculinity can become normalized.
'There is an average of two women killed monthly by their ex-husbands or ex-boyfriends, which is horrible,' Bardem said. 'Just that amount of women being murdered — it's unbelievable. And we've kind of normalized it. It's like, 'Well, yeah, it's horrible.' I mean, are we fucking nuts? We are killing women because some men think they own them? They possess them?'
Bardem, who is married to fellow Hollywood star Penelope Cruz, then argued that some world leaders have the same mindset.
'And that problem also goes to Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin and Mr. Netanyahu,' he said. 'The big balls man saying, 'My cock is bigger than yours, and I'm going to bomb the shit out of you.' That is a fucking toxic male behavior that is creating thousands of dead people.'
'So, yeah, we have to talk about it,' Bardem added, noting that 'this movie speaks about that' before later reiterating his criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, calling it a 'fact' that genocide has been committed.
